Vietnam in 10 days: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Hoi An

The north-and-centre masterpiece: Hanoi's thousand-year-old street-food theatre, a night asleep among Ha Long's limestone towers, Ninh Binh's river through the rice paddies, then Hoi An — the lantern town with a golden bridge in the clouds and a tailor who'll suit you in 24 hours. E-visa in five minutes; road-crossing course included.

Southeast Asia
10 days
≈ AED 3,000 / person
First-time visitors

Researched & checked by Nitesh Parasher Last verified 8 October 2026

Before you go

Vietnam runs on a different exchange rate for wonder. A million-dong note is US$38; a bowl of the world’s best noodle soup is two dollars; a night on a boat inside a UNESCO bay costs less than a European dinner. And the sights themselves refuse to be background: Ha Long’s two thousand karst towers, Hoi An’s mustard-yellow lantern streets, Hanoi’s Old Quarter where every pavement is a kitchen and every kitchen is a legend.

This first Vietnam guide does the north and centre properly instead of sprinting the whole country: Hanoi deep, one night afloat, the Ninh Binh river day, then four slow days around Hoi An. Saigon, the Mekong and Phu Quoc get their own guide — Vietnam is two trips wearing one visa.

Go February–April — the overlap month-window when the north is dry-ish and warming and the centre is at its sunny best. October–April suits the north overall (Dec–Jan is cool and misty — atmospheric Ha Long, pack a jacket); the centre’s danger months are September–November: typhoon-and-flood season in Hoi An (the town floods photogenically and inconveniently — don’t book those months blind). All costs are in Vietnamese dong (VND).

Before you go: the five-minute visa (and the zeros)

The e-visa, done at home

E-visa, done at home: most nationalities, India included, apply on the official evisa.gov.vn — US$25 single / US$50 multiple entry, 90 days, approved in 3–5 working days. No embassy, no agent needed.
The rejections are all self-inflicted: photo spec (4×6, white background, no glasses), name order matching the passport exactly, and — the classic — selecting the wrong entry port (choose the airport you actually land at: Hanoi’s Noi Bai for this trip). Apply two weeks out; print two copies.
Passport 6+ months. The e-visa follows your passport, not where you live.

The zeros briefing

The zeros briefing: prices come in thousands. ₫25,000 is a dollar coffee; ₫250,000 is a nice dinner for two; ₫2,500,000 is a boutique hotel night. The 20,000 and 500,000 notes are both blue — the most expensive mistake in Vietnam is a 25× tip in dim light. Sort notes by denomination on day one.

Money, roads and the food rules

Cash-leaning but modernising: hotels, cruises and bigger restaurants take cards; street food, markets and boat ladies are cash. ATMs everywhere (₫3M typical limit per pull); carry ₫500k–1M in small notes daily.
Grab is the answer to every taxi question — cars and bikes, fixed prices, no meter theatre. Street taxis: only Mai Linh or Vinasun brands, meter on.
Crossing the road is a skill, and here it is: wait for a gap-ish, step off, walk slow and steady, never stop, never step back — the scooter river reads your vector and parts around you. Locals cross reading their phones; you’ll manage.
Scooter honesty: technically you need a Vietnamese- recognised licence + IDP; most tourist renters check nothing, most travel insurance then covers nothing. In cities, Grab bikes (₫15–30k a hop) give you the wind without the liability.
Tipping: not traditional; ₫20–50k for guides/spa is warm. Cruise crews expect US$3–5/day (budgeted below).
Kids: Vietnam adores them — lantern-making, basket boats, beach sand, kid-mild pho. The road-crossing hand- hold rule is absolute.

Day by day

Day 1 — Land in Hanoi, Old Quarter immersion

Stay in the Old Quarter/Hoan Kiem — the point of Hanoi is to sleep inside the noise.

Afternoon — Land HAN (one-stop from most long-haul hubs, or direct where seasonal). Grab into town (~₫350–450k, 45 min).
17:00 — First walk: Hoan Kiem Lake loop — Turtle Tower, the red Huc Bridge and Ngoc Son Temple (₫30k) — then dissolve into the Old Quarter’s 36 guild streets: Silk Street, Tin Street, the one that now sells shoes.
19:30 — Dinner the Hanoi way: low plastic stools, bún chả (grilled-pork noodles — the Obama-Bourdain dish, ~₫50–70k) — then the trip’s first egg coffee (cà phê trứng, ~₫35–50k): custard-topped genius invented when milk was scarce, at Café Giảng where it happened.

Where to stay in Hanoi (three nights)

Luxury: Sofitel Legend Metropole — the 1901 colonial legend (Chaplin honeymooned; ~9,000 TripAdvisor reviews), wartime bunker tours under the bar. ~₫8,000,000+.
Mid-range: The Oriental Jade Hotel — 5.0/5 (~6,100 reviews), TripAdvisor’s #1 value in the city: rooftop pool over the rooftops, two minutes from the lake. ~₫1,800,000–2,600,000.
Old Quarter boutique: La Siesta Classic Ma May — the long-running Old Quarter favourite with a view-bar on top. ~₫1,500,000–2,200,000.

Day 2 — Hanoi’s history, and a train through a coffee shop

08:00 — The Ho Chi Minh complex: the mausoleum’s changing guard (free; mornings only, closed Mon/Fri and autumn maintenance weeks; dress modestly), the stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda.
10:30 — The Temple of Literature (₫70k) — Vietnam’s 1070 AD first university, turtle-borne stelae of doctoral names; then the Hoa Lo Prison museum (₫50k) — the “Hanoi Hilton”, sobering and worth an hour.
13:00 — Lunch: phở bò at a famous house (Phở Gia Truyền’s queue moves fast; ~₫60–90k) — northern pho, clear and pure.
15:00 — Train Street: the café-lined lane where the mainline squeezes between kitchens (timetables shift and access gets policed — your hotel knows today’s rules and times; obey the whistle absolutely).
17:00 — Water-puppet theatre by the lake (~₫100–150k; charming, 50 minutes, kids adore it) or massage hour (~₫250–350k).
20:00 — Beer-corner Hanoi at Tạ Hiện: bia hơi — the world’s cheapest fresh beer (~₫10–15k) — and grilled everything; lime-tea stools for the abstaining.

Day 3 — Ninh Binh: Ha Long on the rice fields

07:30 — Day trip south (~2 h; small-group tours ~₫900k–1,100k pp with lunch beat DIY logistics): limestone karsts rising out of paddies instead of sea.
10:00 — Trang An boat ride (₫250k, included in most tours): a sampan rowed — often by foot-rowing grandmothers — through river caves and between the towers. Three unhurried hours of the most peaceful scenery in Vietnam.
14:00 — Mua Cave viewpoint: ~500 steps up the dragon-spine ridge for the postcard over Tam Coc’s bends (bring water; earn it).
16:00 — Optional Bai Dinh pagoda or Hoa Lu ancient capital, then back to Hanoi by ~19:00.
20:00 — Easy Old Quarter dinner; pack a small overnight bag for the boat — big luggage can stay with your Hanoi hotel or ride under the cruise bus.

Day 4 — Ha Long Bay: sleep among the towers

08:30 — Cruise-shuttle pickup (2.5 h motorway). The price map, honestly: budget boats US$105–160 pp, solid 4★ mid-range US$145–250 (this guide’s lane — Bhaya/Indochina Sails class), 5★ US$250–450; all include transfers, meals, a cave or island stop and kayaking. Add 15–30% reality-tax for drinks, tips (US$3–5/day crew) and extras. Lan Ha Bay (same karsts, far fewer boats, via Cat Ba) runs US$20–50 less and is the connoisseur’s swap.
12:30 — Board, cabin, seafood lunch as the karst towers close around the boat — two thousand limestone islands the legend says a dragon spat as jade.
15:30 — Kayak a lagoon or visit Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave; swim stop in season.
18:00 — Sunset on the top deck — the reason overnight beats any day trip: the day boats leave, the bay goes quiet, and the towers turn to ink.
20:00 — Dinner aboard; squid-fishing off the stern for the optimists.

Day 5 — Bay sunrise, fly to the lantern town

06:30 — Tai chi or just coffee on deck at sunrise — the bay’s best hour.
09:00 — Cruise brunch while looping back; dock ~11:00, bus to Hanoi ~15:00.
17:30 — Fly Hanoi → Da Nang (~1h20; Vietnam Airlines/Vietjet ~₫1,200k–1,800k with a bag — book ahead, Vietjet charges for everything).
20:00 — Grab to Hoi An (45 min, ~₫400–450k); first sight of the old town glowing — check in and walk fifteen lantern-lit minutes before bed.

Where to stay in Hoi An (five nights)

Luxury: La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa — 5.0/5 (~8,700 reviews), pools and gardens a shuttle-hop from the old town. ~₫3,000,000–4,500,000.
Mid-range: Allegro Hoi An — A Little Luxury Hotel — 5.0/5 (~6,600 reviews), walking distance to the lanterns. ~₫2,000,000–2,800,000.
Value: Cozy An Boutique Hotel — TripAdvisor’s #1 value here, riverside near the market. ~₫900,000– 1,400,000. (Hoi An’s homestays, ₫500–800k, are also the best budget beds in Vietnam.)

Day 6 — Hoi An old town, slowly

07:30 — The old town before the day-trippers (best hours: 7–9 am): the Japanese Covered Bridge, mustard shophouse lanes, market ladies stacking herbs. The old-town ticket (₫120k, valid days, funds restoration) admits five heritage houses — Tan Ky house and the Fujian assembly hall first.
10:30 — Tailor time, round one: Hoi An’s 400+ tailors cut suits and dresses in 24–48 h (~US$80–150 a suit at reputable houses — pick by recent reviews, insist on two fittings; you’ll wear it for years).
13:00 — Lunch on the local trinity: cao lầu (noodles made with lye-well water, only real here), white-rose dumplings, bánh mì at Phượng (Bourdain’s, ~₫35k).
15:30 — Basket-boat hour in the Bay Mau coconut palms (~₫100k pp; touristy, spinning, giggly) or a riverside nap — this town rewards idleness.
18:30 — Lantern hour: the Hoai River at dusk, ₫20k paper lanterns set afloat, the Japanese Bridge lit. Full-moon nights switch off the electricity entirely.
20:00 — Riverside dinner (~₫300–500k for two); fitting number two on the walk home.

Day 7 — Ba Na Hills: the bridge held by giant hands

07:30 — Day trip into the mountains (~45 min): Ba Na Hills (₫1,000,000 adult — steep by Vietnam standards and includes the record-breaking cable-car system, the French-village theme park and the alpine coaster).
09:00 — The reason you came: the Golden Bridge — the ribbon of gold held up by two colossal moss-stone hands over the clouds. Photograph it before 10:00 or after 15:00; midday is a queue with a view.
11:00 — Fantasy Park’s free rides for the kids, the garden terraces, lunch up top (buffet add-on ~₫300k) — or descend for a seafood lunch back at sea level.
16:00 — Marble Mountains on the return (₫40k + lift ₫15k): cave pagodas inside the marble crags; or straight to An Bang Beach for the golden hour.
19:30 — Dinner + the Hoi An Memories Show option (~₫350–500k by tier — 500 performers on a river island; spectacle-lovers say yes).

Day 8 — Beach, kitchen, or ruins: the choose-day

Morning menu, pick one:
- An Bang Beach (free, loungers ~₫40k with a drink): the easy, excellent default.
- Cooking class (~₫700–900k pp): market shopping by basket-boat, then spring rolls and cao lầu you’ll actually recreate at home. Hoi An’s classes are Vietnam’s best.
- My Son Sanctuary (₫150k + ~₫700k car/tour): the 4th–13th-century Cham temple ruins in their jungle bowl — go at 07:00 before heat and coaches.
15:00 — Final fittings; tea at Reaching Out Teahouse (run by deaf artisans; the silence is the point).
18:00 — An Bang sunset dinner on the sand (~₫400–600k for two) or the night market’s chè desserts.

Day 9 — Da Nang day, farewell lanterns

10:00 — Into Da Nang: My Khe beach hour, the Cham Museum (₫60k) for the My Son backstory, lunch of mì quảng (the turmeric noodle the city runs on, ~₫40–60k).
15:00 — Son Tra Peninsula run: the 67-m Lady Buddha at Linh Ung pagoda, monkeys in the banyans, the coast road views.
19:00 — Back in Hoi An for the last lantern walk — or, if it’s a weekend, stay for Da Nang’s Dragon Bridge breathing fire at 21:00 (free, Sat–Sun).
21:00 — Farewell dinner; collect the tailoring; attempt suitcase Tetris.

Day 10 — Home from Da Nang

Morning — DAD airport (20 min): fly home via a one-ticket connection (Hanoi, Saigon or a Southeast Asian hub — DAD’s long-haul non-stops are seasonal at best). Last Vietnamese iced coffee at the gate, lanterns in the hand luggage.

Costs and practicalities

Best time to visit

Vietnam is 1,650km long with three distinct climates, and no single month is good everywhere — February to April comes closest.

The north (Hanoi, Sapa, Ha Long) — best September to November and March to April. Winter is cold and drizzly with poor Ha Long visibility; summer is hot and wet. Sapa’s rice terraces are green in June–July and golden at harvest in September.
The centre (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang) — best February to May. The rains arrive September to December and Hoi An floods most years in October and November.
The south (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong) — dry December to April, wet May to November with short afternoon downpours.
Tet, the lunar new year in late January or February, shuts the country for about a week — transport sells out and many businesses close.

A north-to-south trip in February or March gets the best of all three.

Travel tips

Crossing the road in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is a skill: walk slowly and predictably and the scooters flow around you. Do not stop or run back.
Grab is the app for cars and motorbike taxis and removes all fare negotiation.
Agree every price first otherwise — cyclos, photo ops, and anything a street vendor hands you to hold.
Carry cash in dong. The notes have many zeros and the 20,000 and 500,000 look alike — check carefully. Cards work in cities and hotels.
Ha Long Bay cruises vary enormously. Pay for a reputable operator; the cheap ones are crowded and the boats are poorly maintained.
Cover shoulders and knees at pagodas and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which also bans bags, cameras and shorts.
The egg coffee in Hanoi and the bun cha are the two things not to miss, and street food with a queue is the safest street food.

What this trip actually costs

Two people, 9 nights (3 Hanoi + 1 afloat + 5 Hoi An), mid-range comfort, international flights excluded:

Item	Cost
E-visas for two (single entry)	VND 1,300,000 (≈ AED 186)
Hotels, 8 nights (Hanoi + Hoi An)	VND 11,000,000 (≈ AED 1,577)
Ha Long Bay 4-star overnight cruise for two (incl. transfers, meals, tips-reality)	VND 8,500,000 (≈ AED 1,219)
Flight Hanoi→Da Nang, two seats with bags	VND 2,800,000 (≈ AED 401)
Ground transport + Ninh Binh day tour	VND 3,300,000 (≈ AED 473)
Entries: old-town ticket, Ba Na Hills, temples, My Son, Marble Mountains	VND 2,800,000 (≈ AED 401)
Food, 10 days (pho-to-feast)	VND 9,000,000 (≈ AED 1,291)
eSIM, lanterns, extras	VND 400,000 (≈ AED 57.36)
Buffer: Memories show, cooking class, the tailor’s gravitational pull	VND 2,900,000 (≈ AED 416)
Total for two	VND 42,000,000 (≈ AED 6,022)

Roughly VND 21,000,000 (≈ AED 3,011) per person (~US$800) — with Malaysia, the best value on this site, and the cruise is a third of it: drop to a good budget boat or Lan Ha Bay and the total nears VND 17,500,000 (≈ AED 2,509); a 5★ cruise and La Siesta pool villas push past VND 30,000,000 (≈ AED 4,302). Food could halve and you’d still eat like royalty.
Book in this order: e-visa on evisa.gov.vn (2 weeks out — correct port, correct name order) → international flights (into Hanoi, home from Da Nang via a one-ticket connection) → the cruise (the trip’s anchor — book direct or OTA with free cancellation) → hotels free-cancel → HAN–DAD flight → Ninh Binh tour and Ba Na tickets days ahead → tailors, beaches and bún chả: walk up.
Hotel and restaurant picks here are unsponsored — no affiliate links in this article. Chosen on location and current ratings; always check prices and recent reviews before booking.

What to pack

Layers for the north (Dec–Feb Hanoi is 12–18°C and misty) + summer kit for the centre; a light rain shell always.
Deck-friendly sandals and one warm layer for the bay’s evening breeze.
Mua-viewpoint trainers (500 steps), mosquito repellent, reef-safe sunscreen.
Modest cover for pagodas and the mausoleum (knees/ shoulders; long trousers required there).
Empty suitcase third — between tailors, lanterns and coffee beans, Vietnam packs itself home with you.
A dedicated small-notes wallet, sorted by denomination — see the zeros briefing.

FAQ

Is the e-visa really that easy? Yes — five minutes and $25 if you respect the details: official site only (evisa.gov.vn; copycat sites charge triple), photo to spec, surname/given-name order exactly as the passport, entry port matching your actual airport, applied ~2 weeks out. Rejections are almost always one of those four.

Which cruise tier is actually worth it? The 4★ mid-range is the sweet spot: real cabins with balconies, good food, small-group kayaking — for half a 5★ price. Budget boats are fine for the young and easy; what you’re really buying up-tier is cabin comfort and crowd size. And Lan Ha Bay is the same geology with a fraction of the traffic — the quiet-lover’s correct answer.

September–November in Hoi An — how bad, really? It’s typhoon-and-flood season: some years pass gently, some years the old town canoes down its own streets for a week. If those are your only dates, buy refundable rooms, watch forecasts, and have a Da Nang-city plan B. February–April is the no-drama window for this exact route.

Halal and vegetarian food? The honest ranking: harder than Malaysia/Singapore, very manageable with strategy. Hanoi and Da Nang/Hoi An each keep a small cluster of halal kitchens (Indian and Malay-run; your hotel will map them), seafood is everywhere and unambiguous, and Buddhist cơm chay (vegetarian) eateries appear in every town — but fish sauce is Vietnam’s bloodstream: “không nước mắm” (no fish sauce) and “ăn chay” (I eat veg) are the two phrases to screenshot.

Can we do this with kids? Wonderfully: lantern-making, basket-boat spinning, water puppets, beach afternoons, cyclo rides — and Vietnamese food has a kid-mild lane (pho, fresh rolls, bánh mì). The two absolutes: hands held at every road, and the cruise’s child-railings briefing taken seriously.

What about Saigon, the Mekong and Phu Quoc? That’s the other Vietnam — faster, hotter, delta-green, with an island finale — and it’s guide #2, sized for the same 90-day e-visa (buy multiple-entry if you’ll combine both trips with a Cambodia hop between).

Prices and entry rules change, and what you need depends on your passport; last checked 8 October 2026, so confirm with the embassy or your airline before booking.